An intense cyclone crossing the northern U.S. is expected to dump heavy snow across the upper Plains and Great Lakes regions over the coming days, likely causing traffic and flight delays as millions of Americans travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Winter storm warnings and snow advisories were active on Nov. 26 from Minnesota and Michigan to Pennsylvania and New York state, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters warned of blizzard conditions along the southern shore of Lake Superior, as parts of northern Michigan and Wisconsin experience snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Forecasters also warned of high winds that could reach up to 40 mph in major cities, including Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit.
"Visibilities may drop below 1/4 mile due to falling and blowing snow," warned the weather service in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Whiteout conditions are expected and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening. Visibility and road conditions may change rapidly over short distances in lake effect snow."
The dangerous weather conditions come as a record-setting 82 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home for Thanksgiving, according to AAA.
